Grundfos to tap developing countries with water treatment solutions

Denmark-based pump manufacturer Grundfos finds huge opportunities in developing countries like India through its sustainable water treatment solutions, says Mads Nipper, Chief Executive Officer, Grundfos.

Addressing a team of Indian journalists at Grundfos’s headquarters, Nipper said clean water is one of the major issues in the developing countries and Grundfos Life Link offers new water technology solutions that solve drinking water problems and water-borne disease by treating surface water, which is largely underutilised. The company offers sustainable water solutions through its product AQPure for developing countries like India and Africa developed under GLL arm.

AQPure uses ultra filtration technology for treating surface water and has the capacity to treat 40,000 litres per day for community use. It is customised to treat different kinds of water and investments may range between ₹8 lakh and ₹17 lakh. “We work with utilities like government agencies and non-governmental organisations to fund the project,” Nipper added.

The product is assembled and exported to other countries from the Grundfos plant in Chennai. Since its launch in 2016, 70 AQPure units have been installed in Africa, Thailand, Bangladesh and India. Another 60 units will be installed in Pakistan by April.

The company is keen on strengthening its base in existing South-East Asian and African countries. Grundfos is in talks with government bodies in Karnataka and Rajasthan and countries like Cambodia to take the project further. Nipper said: “There are huge opportunities for such projects in these countries. Though it is not making enough profit right now, we expect the portfolio to be one of our core portfolios in the coming years.”

With demand expected to increase, plans to expand the Chennai facility are also in the anvil. Poul Madsen, Grundfos Group Vice- President, Emerging Water Technology, said, “Right now, Chennai plant can assemble close to 25 units of AQPure a day. As the demand increases, we will install a new assembly line in Chennai to meet the demand,” he added.

(The writer was in Denmark at the invitation of Grundfos.)